Monthly Archives: February 2013

29 days until G.I. Joe Retaliation – assault VTOL

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Twitter user Twitziller continues his “40 Reasons to Be Excited About G.I. Joe Retaliation” series with today’s image: assault VTOL!

day-29-assault-vtol

In the last film, members of the G.I. Joe team were ferried around in a silver VTOL called a “Howler”.  (It always looked like a featureless glider wrapped in aluminum foil to me.)  This time around, the Joe’s ride is a bit detailed in the form of the yet-to-be-named assault VTOL craft.  It’s a sturdier-looking craft which happens to bear more than a passing resemblance to a Cobra Rattler.   It’s a nice design homage that shows that the production designers took the time to look through the source material for reference.  We’ve no idea how this craft will be used in the film or whether or not it will see much in the way of action, but it did a plastic representation in the form of the Ghost Hawk II!

Check out Twitziller’s previous entries in the series below.  We’re getting closer, gang.  Closer every day!

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day-39-minitank
day-38-desert-ambush
day-37-flint
day-36-concept-design
day-35-hiss-tank
day-7-roadblock
day-5-motion
day-6-cobra-commander-battle-helmet
day-4-lady-jaye
day-34-zartan
day-33-on-the-run
day-32-cobra-helicopter
day-31-rappelling-assault
day-30-practical-effects
day-29-assault-vtol
day-3-lighting
day-2-battle-kata-gear
day-1-gi-joe
day-28-storm-shadow

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29 days to go!

30 days until G.I. Joe Retaliation – practical effects

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Twitter user Twitziller continues his “40 Reasons to Be Excited About G.I. Joe Retaliation” series with today’s image: practical effects!

day-30-practical-effects

The modern cinematic world is one dominated by CGI.  More often than is necessary, filmmaker’s fall back on computer generated imagery to solve any and all manner of problems.  From removing unwanted elements such as safety harnesses to changing a character’s eye color, CG has become incredibly common place.  Yet, there is a certain plausibility that comes from practical effects that digital effects still can’t replace.  Go back and watch the old Bond films and you’ll see what I mean– that guy jumping off of a cliff on skis really did jump off of a cliff on skis!  The eye can tell it’s not faked and therefore the scene has a higher level of tension.

G.I. Joe Retaliation appears to be going that route as well.  Real effects involving real stunt work.  I’m not saying that there isn’t any CGI in the film nor am I saying that CGI can’t be impressive but there’s something to be said about doing things the old-fashioned way.

Check out Twitziller’s previous entries in the series below.   The days until the film’s release are getting fewer and fewer in number!

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day-39-minitank
day-38-desert-ambush
day-37-flint
day-36-concept-design
day-35-hiss-tank
day-7-roadblock
day-5-motion
day-6-cobra-commander-battle-helmet
day-4-lady-jaye
day-34-zartan
day-33-on-the-run
day-32-cobra-helicopter
day-31-rappelling-assault
day-30-practical-effects
day-29-assault-vtol
day-3-lighting
day-2-battle-kata-gear
day-1-gi-joe
day-28-storm-shadow

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29 days to go!

G.I. Joe Collector’s Club FSS wave 3 now shipping!

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G.I. Joe Collector's Club FSS wave 1

According to the crew over at HISSTank.com, the 3rd shipment of the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club Figure Subscription Service is now shipping to fans! (That’s got to be the longest title ever.)

The GIJCC has asked that people not reveal what items are in the shipment until “everyone has theirs.”  However, if you’re curious, just click the link below and check out the top of the page to see what figures are landing in the ring this month.

FSS wave 3 revealed

 

31 days until G.I. Joe Retaliation – rappelling assault!

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Twitter user Twitziller continues his “40 Reasons to Be Excited About G.I. Joe Retaliation” series with today’s image: rappelling assault!

day-31-rappelling-assault

High octane plausible action: this is what much of G.I. Joe Retaliation seems to be based upon!  While the shots of ninjas swinging around a mountaintop retreat appear to use a significant amount of CGI, it’s shots like this that showcase a real world practical effects approach to action.  It’s the kind of sequence that you’d have seen back in heyday of the action movie– the 1980’s!  Roadblock is going for “shock & awe” in this sequence and, unless Cobra troopers have nerves of steel, the sight of a 6″+ heavyweight fast roping down with a SAW should be enough to send them running back to Cobra-La!  (Yes, I went there.)

Check out Twitziller’s previous entries in the series below.   The days until the film’s release are getting fewer and fewer in number!

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day-39-minitank
day-38-desert-ambush
day-37-flint
day-36-concept-design
day-35-hiss-tank
day-7-roadblock
day-5-motion
day-6-cobra-commander-battle-helmet
day-4-lady-jaye
day-34-zartan
day-33-on-the-run
day-32-cobra-helicopter
day-31-rappelling-assault
day-30-practical-effects
day-29-assault-vtol
day-3-lighting
day-2-battle-kata-gear
day-1-gi-joe
day-28-storm-shadow

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30 days to go!

32 days until G.I. Joe Retaliation – Cobra helicopter

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Twitter user Twitziller continues his “40 Reasons to Be Excited About G.I. Joe Retaliation” series with today’s image: Cobra helicopter

day-32-cobra-helicopter

Going back to the original G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline it’s pretty obvious that Cobra has always had some really innovative vehicles.  From high-speed tanks like the HISS, to the powered CLAW glider, to the one man helicopter the FANG, the armies of the serpent have had a solid technological edge.  In the trailers for G.I. Joe Retaliation we’ve been given the briefest of glimpses at this new piece of Cobra’s aerial arsenal and it’s left this Joe fan wanting more!  Sleek, black, and sporting the Cobra logo– it’s the perfect type of weapon to fit into Cobra Commander’s stable.  (Why there wasn’t a toy version, I’ll never know.)  Regardless of the role it plays in the film, it’s just another piece of the puzzle that forms my anticipation for this film!

Check out Twitziller’s previous entries in the series below.   I for one cannot wait until I can post “0 days until G.I. Joe Retaliation”!

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day-39-minitank
day-38-desert-ambush
day-37-flint
day-36-concept-design
day-35-hiss-tank
day-7-roadblock
day-5-motion
day-6-cobra-commander-battle-helmet
day-4-lady-jaye
day-34-zartan
day-33-on-the-run
day-32-cobra-helicopter
day-31-rappelling-assault
day-30-practical-effects
day-29-assault-vtol
day-3-lighting
day-2-battle-kata-gear
day-1-gi-joe
day-28-storm-shadow

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32 days to go!

JBL Review: G.I. Joe Retaliation Tread Ripper tank!

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G.I. Joe Retaliation Tread Ripper tank

 

G.I. Joe Retaliation is hitting theatres in just over a month and, for the first time in a long time, new product is hitting store shelves!  With a recent restock at a local Kmart, I was able to snag not only the wave 2.5 figures but also a tiny armored vehicle that has a very real world inspiration.  That’s right– I’m talking about the Tread Ripper tank!  Based on the Howe & Howe Tech Ripsaw tank, the tiny Tasmanian Devil of an armored vehicle is one of the newest vehicles that fans can add to their G.I. Joe motor pool!  However, just because something is new doesn’t necessarily mean it’s worth purchasing right?  Does that question apply to the Tread Ripper?

Check out the review at the G.I. Joe Retaliation Review Index and find out one Joe fan’s opinion!

33 days until G.I. Joe Retaliation – One the run!

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Twitter user Twitziller continues his “40 Reasons to Be Excited About G.I. Joe Retaliation” series with today’s image: On the run!

day-33-on-the-run

Story-telling is all about building tension– putting the heroes in a place/situation that they absolutely HAVE to escape from.  It’s about getting the listener/viewer on the edge of their seats and making it all but impossible for them to miss “what happens next.”  A classic technique to build that kind of tension is to completely turn the tables on the heroes, remove them from their support network, and make them the underdogs.  IF everything that we’ve seen in the G.I. Joe Retaliation trailers is correct then this is EXACTLY what will be happening in the film.  The Joes are turned into fugitives and put on the run with Cobra rising to a place of both respectability and power.  The villain is in a position of strength and the heroes are left at a profound disadvantage.  Oh yeah, that’s the meat and potatoes of a good action story right there!

Check out Twitziller’s previous entries in the series below.   I for one cannot wait until I can post “0 days until G.I. Joe Retaliation”!

day-40-color
day-39-minitank
day-38-desert-ambush
day-37-flint
day-36-concept-design
day-35-hiss-tank
day-7-roadblock
day-5-motion
day-6-cobra-commander-battle-helmet
day-4-lady-jaye
day-34-zartan
day-33-on-the-run
day-32-cobra-helicopter
day-31-rappelling-assault
day-30-practical-effects
day-29-assault-vtol
day-3-lighting
day-2-battle-kata-gear
day-1-gi-joe
day-28-storm-shadow

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32 days to go!

JBL Review: Some of what is in the G.I. Joe Retaliation queue

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With G.I. Joe Retaliation dropping in just over a month it is an exciting time to be a Joe fan!  Product is back in stores, the media blitz has begun and the anticipation in the air is almost tangible!

Here’s a teaser image of some of what is sitting in JBL’s review queue in terms of Retaliation items.  Some of these pieces have been out for a while and others are brand new.  There are even a few things that wouldn’t fit in the picture!

retaliation review queue

The point is that I’m really making a concerted effort to make JBL a viable and useful G.I. Joe site for fans once more.

Keep watching JBL for more reviews all week!  In the meantime, feel free to stop by the G.I. Joe Retaliation Review Index!

YO JOE!

34 Days until G.I. Joe Retaliation – Zartan

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Twitter user Twitziller continues his “40 Reasons to Be Excited About G.I. Joe Retaliation” series with today’s image: Zartan!

day-34-zartan

Sequels are tricky things.  Sometimes they emulate the source material too much with a sense of “been there, done that” and other times they divulge wildly from the original, with mixed results.  With G.I. Joe Retaliation, director Jon M. Chu was faced with a difficult task as the original film G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra left many plot threads dangling at the end.  Zartan, altered by nano-mites, had successfully replaced the President of the United States.  (This was the entire point of the first film.)  Would the sequel acknowledge this rather big thread or go its own way.

It would seem that former approach was chosen as the trailers make no bones about the fact that Zartan is still impersonating POTUS– in a big way.  In fact, all of the events shown in the trailers seem to be a continuation of the plot lines that were begun in the first film.  Zartan appears front and center and we even get a glimpse of Arnold Vosloo (even if it is just a quick CGI morph) that shows audiences that the fact of Cobra’s “Master of Disguise” will be dealt with in the film.  Now, if only he keeps on whistling “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow…”

33 more days until this film EXPLODES on the big screen!

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day-35-hiss-tank
day-7-roadblock
day-5-motion
day-6-cobra-commander-battle-helmet
day-4-lady-jaye
day-34-zartan
day-33-on-the-run
day-32-cobra-helicopter
day-31-rappelling-assault
day-30-practical-effects
day-29-assault-vtol
day-3-lighting
day-2-battle-kata-gear
day-1-gi-joe
day-28-storm-shadow

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35 days until G.I. Joe Retaliation – the HISS Tank!

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Twitter user Twitziller continues his “40 Reasons to Be Excited About G.I. Joe Retaliation” series with today’s image: the HISS tank!

day-35-hiss-tank

If Cobra has a signature vehicle, this is it!  Forget the CLAW, SNAKE armor, FANG, etc.  As a kid, the HISS tank grabbed my attention with his combination of perceived speed and firepower!  When you combine those details with the fact that I never owned one as a kid and you’ll fully understand my obsession with the vehicle.  In the first Joe film, audiences were treated to a modified Night Raven that was part of the M.A.R.S. arsenal.  This time around– we’re getting the full-blown Cobra treatment and it looks fantastic!  Just look at the shot– a series of HISS Tanks rolling on the U.S. Capital building.  Oh yeah, that’s not upping the stakes at all, he said sarcastically!

34 more days until this film EXPLODES on the big screen!

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day-39-minitank
day-38-desert-ambush
day-37-flint
day-36-concept-design
day-35-hiss-tank
day-7-roadblock
day-5-motion
day-6-cobra-commander-battle-helmet
day-4-lady-jaye
day-34-zartan
day-33-on-the-run
day-32-cobra-helicopter
day-31-rappelling-assault
day-30-practical-effects
day-29-assault-vtol
day-3-lighting
day-2-battle-kata-gear
day-1-gi-joe
day-28-storm-shadow

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